Sharad Pawar for joint campaigning in Maharashtra by NCP, Congress

MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today dismissed any speculation of conflict with the Congress, its alliance partner in Maharashtra, and mooted both parties should campaign together for the Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls.

"There is no conflict between both of us. In a review meeting of the party yesterday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar urged party workers to sink their differences and work towards joint campaigning ahead of the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told reporters here today.

He also said that Pawar would talk about the issue with AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

Speculating about early general elections, Malik said that the NCP chief also asked his partymen to begin poll preparations for Lok Sabha elections, due to the current turmoil in Andhra Pradesh, after the decision to carve out a separate Telangana state was taken.

"Since there is a possibility of a minority government at the Centre, early polls are likely and therefore Pawar has asked us to begin poll preparations," Malik said.

Commenting on the tirade launched by social activist Anna Hazare and Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar alleging a Rs 10,000-crore scam in the sale of sugar factories to private players, Malik claimed they are "maligning" the NCP's name.